In any endeavor which involves the use of watercraft, the loss of the craft's propulsion is a most frustrating, if not frightening, prospect. This is a rather common occurrence, considering powered pleasure boats which run out of fuel, sailboats which are becalmed, and motor-powered commercial boats which experience engine failure. When any of these problems occur, it is necessary either to request assistance of the Coast Guard or a passing vessel, or to attempt to propel the craft manually.
The latter possibility is fraught with difficulties, due to the fact that most vessels are not designed to be paddled. When the beam of the vessel, or the freeboard, is beyond a minimal dimension, the use of a paddle requires a great deal of effort to achieve a very small forward velocity. Furthermore, propelling the boat in the desired direction may be extremely difficult, especially if the boat relies on a steerable outboard drive for directional control. As a result, assistance is usually required, as attested to by the fact that the Coast Guard is regularly inundated with SOS calls on any fair weather weekend. Clearly there is a need, unfilled in the prior art, for a manual watercraft propulsion system which is effective and practical.